BY: CHARLES NIKKO LIMON

The Catholic faithful across the Philippines mourned the death of Pope Francis on April 21, as churches rang their bells in tribute to the late pontiff.

From the Manila Cathedral to parishes in Vigan City and Angeles City, bells tolled in unison, signaling the beginning of a period of mourning. Parishioners lit candles and offered prayers in memory of the Pope.

“We were saddened. We thought he was already recovering since he celebrated Easter. We didn’t expect his passing,” shared Ana, a devotee who recalled watching the Pope’s 2015 visit to the Philippines on television.

Another mourner, Nida Flavier, expressed shock. “Was it because of his illness? He was recently hospitalized, it all felt so sudden,” she said.

The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis died at 7:30 AM Vatican time (1:30 PM Philippine time) from a stroke that led to comatose and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.

The Catholic Church declared a nine-day mourning period, known as novendiales.

In response, novena prayers have already begun in various churches nationwide.

Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan encouraged the faithful to live by the teachings left by the late Pope.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao reminded the people of the Pope’s call to walk together in faith, listen to one another, and hear the cries of the poor.